What's the Bottom Line?

My colleagues and I were recently posed the following question: When you put a grade on student's paper or report card, what does it really mean?

Well...I have a question I'd like to ask parents "When you send your child to school, what do you want?" The generic answer will be something to the effect of "I want my child to get a good education." It's not that simple. Acquiring a good education will take some involvement on the part of the parent and those closest to the child's inner circle of acceptable authority figures.

For a child to get a good education, the following pieces must be connected in the puzzle:

• expectations from home for the child to adhere to the rules of the school/school district
• CONSISTENT consequences (not empty threats) at home for non-compliance with those rules
• working with the child's teachers on academic struggles or successes
• sending the child to school with the necessary supplies
• letting your child know that because you want him/her to get a good education, school will be before ALL things: extracurricular participation, family outings, the child's social calendar, etc.
• a safe school environment free from hindrances such as bullying
• highly qualified teachers
• quality instruction delivered daily
• assignments that are geared to make the child not only prepared for standardized testing,but also "college and career ready"
• clear and ongoing communication between the child's parents and the school staff
• If there is a philosophical difference between parent and teacher, the child should not be a part of the discussion and the child shouldn't hear either party talking despairingly about the other

Parents, this will require work on our part as parents, but at the end of the day, if you're really serious about your child "getting a good education" this is what's needed. So.....if this is too much for you to commit to doing, why are you sending your child to school?

What's the bottom line?